International archives of allergy and immunology
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Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2010
Association of indoor air pollution with rhinitis symptoms, atopy and nitric oxide levels in exhaled air.
Exposure to particulate matter (PM) outdoors can induce airway inflammation and exacerbation of asthma in adults. However, there is limited knowledge about the effects of exposure to indoor PM. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of exposure to indoor sources of PM with rhinitis symptoms, atopy and nitric oxide in exhaled air (FeNO) as a measure of airway inflammation. ⋯ Self-reported exposure to the use of woodstoves, candles or gas cookers was not significantly associated with an increased risk of rhinitis symptoms or atopy, nor increased FeNO. Self-reported exposure to ETS was associated with a slightly higher prevalence of self-reported rhinitis symptoms without any clear dose-response relationship.
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Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2010
The longest wheal diameter is the optimal measurement for the evaluation of skin prick tests.
Mean diameter or longest diameter are the 2 most frequently used parameters for wheal response assessment after skin prick testing (SPT). We aimed to compare these 2 parameters taking as gold standard the surface of the wheal skin response. ⋯ The longest wheal diameter alone seems to be a better surrogate marker of the wheal surface in comparison with the mean diameter. In addition, it is easier and faster to measure. Therefore, we propose this as the optimal methodology to evaluate SPTs.
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Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2010
Strain-specific phenotypes of airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness induced by epicutaneous allergen sensitization in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice.
Allergen sensitization through a disrupted skin barrier appears to play a prominent role in the development of atopic diseases, including allergic asthma. The role of the genetic background in immunological and physiological phenotypes induced by epicutaneous sensitization is undetermined. ⋯ The C57BL/6 mouse is a more appropriate model than the BALB/c mouse to study the relationship between skin barrier dysfunction and the pathogenesis of allergic asthma.
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Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a phenomenon characterized by cytopenia, organ dysfunction, and coagulopathy associated with an inappropriate activation of macrophages. Current diagnostic criteria are imprecise, but the syndrome is now recognized as a form of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis that is characteristically associated with autoimmune diatheses. ⋯ Proposed treatment regimens include aggressive approaches that require validation in future controlled studies. This review discusses the major aspects of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of MAS with a focus on the association with autoimmune disease.
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Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2010
Comparative StudyInvolvement of galectin-9 in lung eosinophilia in patients with eosinophilic pneumonia.
Although we first found galectin-9 (Gal-9) as an eosinophil chemoattractant, its role in eosinophilic inflammation is still obscure. The purpose of the present study is to clarify the role of Gal-9 in human eosinophilic pulmonary inflammation in comparison with eotaxin (CCL11). ⋯ The present results provide two possibilities: that Gal-9 is involved in pulmonary eosinophilia in patients with AEP and CEP, and that Gal-9 exhibits regulatory functions for activated eosinophils at the site of inflammation.